Peoples Republic of South Devon

Jazz-tootin-tastic!

October 5th, 2007

Marika Visser at Chicago, Princess Theatre, Torquay

The danger with touring shows is that they won’t be as good as those in the West End. This production of Chicago at the Princess Theatre, Torquay, proved that theory wrong.

The story? Murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago with help from classy Billy Flynn, Matron Mama Morton (prison service) and the hopeless Amos Hart.

One of the main surprises came from Haley Flaherty. Her portrayal of quirky Roxie became adorable, and her comic timing was impeccable, especially when she interacted with the audience.

Ian Kelsey as womanising lawyer Billy Flynn was also a pleasant surprise. I was doubtful that a celebrity in a lead role would pull it off. However, he suited the part down to a T, oozed charm and could sing, as well as carrying out a few slick moves.

Other star performances came from Katy Selcombe (Matron Mama Morton) who belted those notes, and Andrew Cooper (understudy to Amos Hart) who, despite his youth, had a charisma that made the audience warm to him, especially during the moving Mr Cellophane.

Dawn Spence looked amazing as Velma (with a striking resemblance to Catherine Zeta Jones in the film version), and although she was a great dancer and actress, I didn’t warm to her vocals.

A nice touch was the way the orchestra, who under the more-than-capable baton-waving hands of Garth (great American accent) Hall, were incorporated into the show. One of the highlights was the Entracte at the beginning of Act 2. The production team, who only had one day to load the complex set, were amazing. The lighting and sound were first class.

Chicago plays at the Princess Theatre until October 13

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Entry Filed under: Arts